Train-pipe coupling.



vE. H. WARREN.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

H APPLICATION FILED JAN-2|. I915- 1,162,1 17, Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l- ELIE-.1-

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPN 10., WASHINGTON. D c

-E. H. WARREN.

TRAIN PIPE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED .IANIZI. I915.

Patented Nov. 30, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- III! IIIII III COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH CO" WASHINGTON, D. C.

p tta rne arr FFEQE.

EDWARD H. WARREN, OF RENTIESVILLE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO ANDREW J. CARLOW AND J. HOWARD OARLOW, BOTH OF CHECOTAH, OKLAHOMA.

TRAIN-PIPE COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented ov. so, 1915,

Application filed January 21, 1915 Serial No. 3,614.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. WARREN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rentiesvill'e, in the county of McIntosh and State of Oklahoma, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Train-Pipe Couplings; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled'in the art to which it appertains to make and use the Same. v

My invention relates to improvements in train pipe couplers and has for its object to improve upon the general construction of devices of this character to such an extent, as to provide a very simple and eliicient device which may well be carrieddirectly by the ordinary car coupler. I

A further object is to equip the couplers with novel means for opening valves used therein, which valves control the passage of steam, or compressed air from one coach to another.

Yet another object is to provide a novel form of frame for supporting the pipe coupler beneath the car coupler, and to so construct the mounting of this frame as v to allow the latter to be adjusted longitudinally irrespectively of the coupler, and to move inwardly and outwardly as said coupler yields against its spring.

In addition to the above objects, the invention further aims to equip the frame above described with means whereby the attachment of a second and similar frame, to support a supplemental coupler, is made possible.

With the above objects in view, the invention resides in certain novel features of construction and combination hereinafter de-' scribed and claimed and shown in the drawings wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation partly in section, showing the application of a pair of couplers to a pair of cars, the couplers beingshown in 'uxta osition' Fi 2 is a horizonb tal section as seen along the plane of the line tion of the valves employed; Fig. 6 is an additional detail transverse section as seen on the line 6-6 of Fig; 1; Fig. 7 is a perspective viewshowing the two couplers in juxta- -position;Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the'supporting frames;.and'Fig. 9 is a I similar view of the supplemental supporting frame above mentioned.

In these drawings, constituting a part of this application, portions of a pair of cars C are shown, these cars being provided with any appropriate type of coupler heads H which areprovided with the usual shanks S slidingthrough bearings B and which are equipped with theusual springs s for allowing them to move inwardly and outwardly to the necessaryextent.

In the present embodiment, the bearings 13 are shown as secured directly to the bottom of the car-G and as having laterally pro j ecting ears 1 on their lower sides, (see more particularly Fig. (5). To the ears 1 ofeach car, apair of angle iron tracks 2 is secured, these tracks lying parallel to each other, extending longitudinally beneath the shank S, and slidably supporting a T -head 3 which rises from the inner end of a longitudinally extending supporting yoke 4, the outer end of this yoke being secured by a clamp i to the shank S adjacent its head H. I

By reference to the drawings, it will be seen that the structure just described is duplicated on each ear C, it being thought suliicient however, to describe that upon one car only. Furthermore, the yokes 4 support a pair of frames 5 in which the train pipe couplers 6 are mounted, but since the construction of these frames and couplers is identical, it is thought that a description of one will sutlice.

Each frame 5 comprises a top plate 7 which is adjustably secured by a pair of clips 8 to the yoke bar-4, an inner end plate 9 which depends from the inner end of the top plate 7, a pair of bars 10 which depend from the outer corners of said top plate, and a bottom plate 11 which is. secured in any appropriate manner to the. lower ends of the bars 10 and plate 9, these bars and plate being here shown as extending below said bottom plate and as having openings in their lower ends, which openings are adapted for a purpose to be described. Furthermore, the plate 11 is shown as extending outwardly from the bars l0'as seen at 12 and tom plates 7 and 11. v This plate 16 is spaced outwardly from the rear end plate 7 as clearly seen in Figs. 1 an'd'3 and'a cushioning device is interposed between said plates 9 and 16. Thus cush oning device is shown in thepresent application-as comprising a U-shaped leaf'springil? secured to theplate 9 and having its ends extended laterally and contacting with the plate 16, said cushioning device also including a pair of coil springs 18 whoselinner ends; fit within appropriate sockets in the end plate "9 while their outer ends bearagainst the outer ends of the spring 17 as shown. By this construction, the coupler 6 is normally forced outwardly to the necessary extent.

, The outer end of the coupler 6 is provided with a pointed nose 20, one of whoseupright sides is flattened as seen at 21, while its opposite side may be shaped in any appropriate manner. Spaced. inwardly from the point of the nose 20 and openingtoward the same,.is a semi-cone shaped socket 22, this socket being adapted-to receive the nose 20 of the. other coupler when the two members are brought together as seen in Fig. 3.

Rising from the socket 22 or from another appropriate part of the coupler 6, is an. upright flange or its equivalent 23, to which a horizontal rack bar 2-1 is secured by bolts or other appropriate means, the teeth of this'bar preferably lying parallel with the flat face 21 as shown, while spaced laterally from the smooth side of the rack bar 24 is a pinion 25 which is formed integrally with or secured in any appropriate manner to the upper end of an upright cylindrical valve stem 26, this stem having two or more ports 27 which, whenthe valve stands in the position seen in Fig. 5, are adapted to register with ports 28 which are formed transversely through the outer endof the neck 14 and provided at their outer ends with gaskets 21 lying flush with the flat faces 21. The train pipes 29 areconnected by nipples or other appropriate devices to one end of the ports. while the other ends thereof discharge through the fiat upright faces 21 as clearly shown inthe various figures of the drawings.

Under'norinal conditions, when the cars are uncoupled, the valve 26 closes the ports 28, but when the cars are coupled and the two couplers 6 are brought together, the

said pin'ions and the valves to open the latter, or in other words, to cause their ports a 27 to register with the ports 28. At the same time, the various ports 28 in the two couplers 6 aline, thereby establishing communication betwen the train pipesof the two -.cars. When the parts stand in active position, the cushioning devices before described are compressed, these devices now actingto eflectively retain the, pipe couplers in such position. Furthermore, asthe two car couplers move inwardly andoutwardly as the cars are being drawn overthe road, the hose couplers Gwill move'inwardly and outwardly therewith, itbeing thereforeevident-that there is no tendency on the part of; these last named couplers toseparate.

It is a well'known fact that the various cars of some railway companies are spaced greater distancesfrom the'trackv than those of other companies, it being therefore expedient to provide means wherebythelowermost of the couplers G-may'beraised to the necessary extent. For. this "purpose,;fillin'gblocks or bars 40 are employed, thesebars being normallysuspended from the cars as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, but being capable-of insertion beneath the couplers 6, when the latter are raised within their supporting frames,'said bars beingthen secured in place by set screws 41' as shown more particularly in Fig. 8. By this means, the couplers 6 may be raised to the necessary extent for alining them properly.

Hereinbefore, I have described the fact that thelower endsof the plate '9 and-the bars'lO depend below the bottomplate -11, this provision being made in order that. a supplemental frame '5 may be suspended. beneath the frame 5,-this-framebeing constructed in identically the same manneras tions of these members tosecure the supple mental frame in position.

' Ihave described the fact that the clips 8 are adjustable longitudinally on'the yoke 41, this being done in order that the. frames 5 may be adjusted outwardly or inwardly to the necessary extent .to allow the two couplers *6 toproperly intenengjage. These framesm'ay then be held in-their adiusted positioni-not only by tightening the boltsiby wh1c'htheclips8 are secured. -to -tlie plate 7,

but by tightening turn buckles 50 with which brace rods 51 are provided, the lower ends of these rods being attached in any appropriate manner to'the frames 5 while simple structure has been provided for carrying out the objects of the invention, yet that such structure will be highly eflicient in operation.

In the drawings, certain specific details of construction have been shown for accomplishing probably the best results, and in the preceding such details have been described, but it will be evident that I need not be limited thereto otherwise than to the extent to which the appended claims restrict me.

I claim:

1. A coupler head of the class described having a port, a rotary tapering valve for closing and opening said port, a gear secured to one end of said valve, and a longitudinally extending rack bar carried by the coupler head and spaced from the gear, combined with an additional and similarly constructed head, the rack bar of one head being adapted to engage and rotate the gear of the other head when the two couplers are brought together.

2. A coupler head of theclass described A having a port, a valve for closing and open-1 ing said port, a gear for operating said valve, and a longitudinally extending rack bar carried by the coupler head and out of. mesh with the gear, the gear and rack being designed for coaction with an additional gear and rack on a second coupler head.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWARD H. WARREN.

lVitnesses:

B. E. RosENDAHL, FORREST PARROTT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

